Tips for A Stress-Free Holiday Season

I wrote this post as part of my participation in a blog tour for The Motherhood on behalf of the makers of Children’s MOTRIN® and received compensation to thank me for taking the time to participate. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

It’s that time of year. You all have seen the holiday decorations out at Target already, the Christmas commercials on television, and your Pinterest feed full of holiday crafts & recipes. This time between Halloween to New Years, the holiday season, is crazy. It’s a whirlwind of parties, special events, shopping for gifts, family get-togethers, and just non-stop chaos, as most moms would say. Yes, it’s one of the most magical times of the year, but as a busy mom, it’s honestly the craziest two months of the year. As a mom during the holiday season, it’s easy to feel discouraged, overwhelmed, and completely exhausted. So today, we are sharing some simple tips and reminders that we have learned moms on how to survive the holiday as a busy, & unstoppable, mom.

SURVIVING THE HOLIDAYS AS AN UNSTOPPABLE BUSY MOM

8 Tips for A Stress-Free Holiday Season

1. Our first tip is please take time for yourself during the holidays. Do something everyday that is for you. it’s easy at this time of year to get overcommitted & your to-do list never seems to get smaller, no matter what you cross off the day before. But I have learned, as a busy mom, that taking time for yourself is one of the most important things you can do for yourself & your family. I’m a better mom when I have a moment to do something I enjoy. So schedule in time to head to gym, read a book, or don’t feel guilty for spending your night just relaxing on the couch. It’s what you need. The stuff will get done, it always does!

2. Start planning & shopping early. I’m not one of those Christmas in July shoppers, but starting now, I make a list of what I want to get each person on my list and start shopping. Keep an eye out for good deals & get those gifts bought. My goal is to get the majority of my holiday shopping done by December 1st this year so I can spend December really enjoying the Christmas season with my family!

3. Now, for those of us with little kids, this is a big one. DO NOT OVERCOMMIT! Pick a few special things and kids’ activities to do with your family, but spend the rest of time enjoying the holidays in the comfort of your home. Everyone needs down time, including little kids, and prioritize what special things you want to do this year and get it on your calendar. Learn to say no when something doesn’t make sense for your family and remember some of the most simple times are the most special. Also, in terms of travel plans, remember that your immediate family comes first. Do what is best for your own family before trying to please everyone else that wants to see you & has activities planned. One way that we stay organized in the holiday season is by writing down all the activities, events, etc. that we want to do as a family & make a big bucket list for the season before the holidays set in. We cross things off our bucket list as the days go by & this list gives me an easy thing to refer back to when I can’t decide what we should do for the day & helps keep us organized with activities & goals for the season.

4. Which leads to my next tip, don’t over-stress about things. Remember, first and foremost, what’s important for your family during the holiday season. It doesn’t really matter if your gifts are perfectly wrapped or that your friends have already sent Christmas cards or someone you know has hand-crafted all their gifts this year. Do the best you can & trust me, that’s good enough!

5. In terms of holiday entertaining, get your house prepped as much as you can. Stay simple by having drinks & easy snacks on hand. Don’t be afraid to pick up store-bought pies and cakes. Keep dinners simple and easy. Use the Crock-Pot and don’t shy away from take-out and ordering pizza, you need to do what keeps you sane! Buy paper plates, napkins, plastic tableware, and fun plastic cups to have on hand for get-togethers and playdates. Other moms understand and trust me, no one expects homemade food & fancy goodies ever. We all come from the same place & get the chaos of managing a family, especially during the holiday season!

6. You can also prep your gift closet by stocking up on a few simple gifts to keep on hand for random occasions so you aren’t scrambling at the last minute. These could be for a simple Christmas exchange, teacher gifts, or neighbors down the street but it’s nice to be able to open the closet and just grab a gift than have to run out last-minute to pick something up. Watch Homegoods, Target, & some of your other favorite stores for some fun finds! We also do this for the kids. When we see a good deal, we snag it up and keep it in a gift closet. Not only do we use this for the holiday season, but we also use it for birthday parties. You can easily pick through your gift closet for donations to Toys for Tots and other charities.

7. Remember your kids won’t be perfect during the holiday season. Trust me, we have had some crazy holiday dinners, Christmas Eve services, trips to holiday shows, and more. We have learned that chaos happens with kids. Be patient & reasonable with your kids schedules & expectations. Remember, the most important thing is to enjoy & embrace these moments, even if it’s wild and crazy.

8. Last, but not least, celebrate the holidays. ENJOY & truly remember what a magical time of year this is, especially through your children’s eyes. AND when it’s all over, make sure to book yourself a treat after the holiday season. Schedule a day away while your husband is home with the kids. Book a spa appointment or a ladies’ night out. Celebrate that you made it through another magical and fun, but busy, holiday season!

We would love to hear a tip that makes you unstoppable during the holiday season. Please leave a comment below and/or join the fun campaign going on right now that celebrates unstoppable moms. The Unstoppable Moms campaign comes from the makers of Children’s Motrin. Moms are invited to share their tips on the Motrin Facebook page that makes them unstoppable. For every tip shared, $1 will be donated to Safe Kids. Also, in addition to reading all of the tips, you can enter a sweepstakes with weekly drawing for $100 gift cards. For more information, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/MOTRIN.

Remember, even in this hectic and magical holiday season, you are unstoppable!